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Yesterday in Palamos, Spain, the day started with a Northerly wind of about 15 knots which by early afternoon had dropped to about 10 knots. Alex Ham reported: “Today was super tricky sailing; lighter wind with choppy sea state. The fleet was far more bunched up. We’re lying comfortably 3rd now with the medal race tomorrow”. Their results after 7 races are: 3rd overall Asenathi JIM & Alexander HAM 11; 4; 2; 2; 3; 3; 4 Good luck guys, all …

The 73rd Rolex Sydney Hobart promises much, with 107 yachts currently scheduled to cross the start line in Sydney Harbour on 26 December. Some 30 international entrants will participate, with a high-profile battle for line honours and fierce contest for the overall win expected. The 628-nautical mile race has never yet failed to deliver intense drama and great spectacle – the 2017 edition looks set to be no exception. First held in 1945, the Rolex Sydney Hobart is organized by …

Asenathi Jim and Alex Ham are competing in the Christmas Regatta off Palamos, Spain. It’s been a tough event so far with just 4 races sailed in 3 days. But our boys are on the Podium at this stage, lying in 3rd place after extreme conditions yesterday. Following the morning absence of wind just after midday, the strong Tramuntana North wind reaching 30 knots, blew in the bay with waves of over 2 metres. Capsizes and broken equipment abounded. Yet …

by Will Carson It’s nip and tuck at the front as MAPFRE eke out a narrow advantage over Dongfeng. Spanish crew MAPFRE broke the Leg 3 deadlock on Wednesday after 10 days at sea, snatching the lead from Dongfeng Race Team with just 1,500 nautical miles left to Melbourne. Charles Caudrelier’s Dongfeng briefly regained the top spot when their choice of line around 35 miles to the north of the AIEZ put them closer to the finish, but a better …

Dee Caffari, skipper of Turn the Tide on Plastic, penned this from the Southern Ocean: It’s been a physically relentless day of manoeuvres as Turn the Tide on Plastic pushed through the 7th day of Leg 3 in the Southern Ocean. The pace is expected to continue over the next 24 hours. But despite the countless gybes and the little sleep the crew onboard Turn the Tide on Plastic have made sure to get their Christmas wish list to Santa. …

The leaders have put in some big miles over the past 24 hours, while the trailing boats fend of the passage of a front… A little over 2,000 miles now stand between the Volvo Ocean Race pace setters and the Leg 3 finish line in Melbourne – and with just eight miles splitting the first two teams, it couldn’t be tighter at the top. Dongfeng Race Team still maintained the lead they have enjoyed for the majority of the leg …

The Christmas and New Year wishes from the Extreme Sailing Series, a Christmas themed poem, is too good not to share. Enjoy. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and those with sea legs, Were dreaming of waves as high as mastheads; The stockings were shackled to the transom with glee, In hopes that St Nick would find them at sea; The sailors were nestled all snug in their quarters, With visions of sun, fair winds and calm waters. The salty old …

World Sailing can, and does, on occasions make urgent changes to the RRS (Racing Rules of Sailing) Coming into effect on 1 January 2018 are changes to: • The Definition of ‘Party’ • Rule 63.1 – plus a new rule 63.9 • Rule 64.4. See the FULL text of changes HERE

The Volvo Ocean Race sailors are experiencing the full impact of Mother Nature as they battle through the rough conditions of the Southern Ocean. As the Volvo Ocean Race fleet continue the 6,500 nautical mile leg from Cape Town to Melbourne the sailors are experiencing one of the most hostile environments the ocean has to offer. Thousands of miles from land, people and more importantly help – watch this incredible footage of the Turn the Tide on Plastic crew recover …

by Richard Crockett The last few days of racing in the Southern Ocean have been very interesting, especially the duel between MAPFRE and Dongfeng. It’s relentless yet ongoing and without any letup. The determination to win the leg simply keeps these two crews pushing boundaries – and it’s physically demanding too. Both teams have been zig-zagging along the southern boundary of the ice exclusion zone, which prompted Charles Caudrelier, skipper of Dongfeng to say: “During the next 30 hours we …

by Brian Hancock I don’t think that I have enough superlatives in my already superlative soaked vocabulary to describe how amazing the new solo, nonstop circumnavigation record just set by French sailor François Gabart is. His immaculate performance is a feat that will, in my opinion be unmatched in a generation. Yes I know I said that last year when Thomas Coville set the record that Gabart has just obliterated, but this is beyond superhuman. François Gabart is, in my …

by Will Carson Steady winds from 25-35 knots with gusts of up to 50 knots have been a stark reminder that the Southern Ocean packs a punch… The Volvo Ocean Race teams were feeling the full strength of the Southern Ocean on Thursday as they were pummelled by winds gusting as high as 50 knots and surfing down mountainous waves. The deep low-pressure system that has been forming for the past few days has now engulfed the seven crews, forcing …

by Richard Crockett Today is the final day, and the day when all the final moves can be made, and overall results changed after either a good or bad performance on the water. In the Optimist fleet there is a titanic duel for first spot overall with the defending champion, Matt Ashwell, trailing Ian Walker in second spot by a mere 2 points after 2 discards. So racing today will be intense at the front of the pack as each …

by Richard Crockett For some months now word out there has been that Calvin Gibbs has some very special sailing talent, and this was finally proven today when he won the final race of the Laser Youth Worlds in Sanya, China. His biggest disappointment must be his performance in the penultimate race where he finished 19th, as had he been just a single place higher he would have finished with the Bronze Medal, as his results show that he tied …

The American Meteorological Society says that Global heat, regional heat, and marine heat records were not possible without human-caused climate change. Read the full report HERE: AMS